2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash

2010 Adaisseh incident
Part of the Israeli-Lebanese conflict
Village of Adaisseh in Lebanon
Date August 3, 2010 Location Israel–Lebanon border: between the Lebanese villages of Adaisseh and Kfar Kila and the Israeli Kibbutz Misgav Am
Belligerents
Israel (Israel Defense Forces)	Lebanon (Lebanese Armed Forces)
Strength
10–15 soldiers supported by tanks, artillery, and attack helicopters	?
Casualties and losses
1 killed 2 wounded	3 killed 5 wounded
1 Lebanese journalist killed

The Adaisseh incident occurred on August 3, 2010, when Israel Defense Forces and Lebanese Armed Forces engaged in cross-border shootouts near the Lebanese border village of Adaisseh. Initial reports say three Lebanese soldiers and one civilian were killed while five soldiers were wounded; reports also indicated one Israeli soldier was killed and two were wounded. This was the most serious escalation on the border since the 2006 Lebanon War. It was the first time in many years that a clash occurred between Israel and the Lebanese army, instead of with Hezbollah.

Background

In the weeks leading up to the incident hostile rhetoric was traded between the Lebanese (particularly Hezbollah) and Israeli sides in light of the reports suggesting the Special Tribunal for Lebanon would indict Hezbollah members. Following an impromptu visit to Lebanon by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Syria's Bashar al-Assad just days before the incident, various media in Lebanon and outside said the likelihood of sparking an outbreak of violence eased. Two days before the incident, however, Assad made a statement marking Syria's Army Day warning that "The spectre of real peace in the region is disappearing, and the possibility of war is increasing."

Confrontation

There were conflicting reports as to how the firefight began. Lebanese sources said the conflict began when an IDF patrol attempted to uproot some trees between the Lebanese villages of Adaisseh and Kfar Kila, while initial Israeli reports had said the soldiers were on a routine patrol, operating past the border fence, but within Israeli territory, since the fence is not always exactly parallel to the border. Other reports said the Israeli soldiers were attempting to plant cameras. According to an IDF spokesperson, "the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) fired at an IDF position along the Lebanese border in northern Israel. The force was in Israeli territory, carrying out routine maintenance and was pre-coordinated with UNIFIL." Only then, the spokesperson said, did Israel return fire. According to Lebanon, however, Israeli soldiers crossed into Lebanon to uproot trees which blocked their view. Lebanese troops then fired warning shots at the Israelis, who responded with artillery fire and airstrikes, which caused the Lebanese to open fire. A Lebanese security official said "The Israelis fired four rockets that fell near a Lebanese army position in the village of Adaisseh and the Lebanese army fired back."

The Israeli Defense Forces has released aerial footage showing that the IDF soldiers were standing in Israeli territory when fired up, and "did not cross the Lebanese border." United Nations representatives have reportedly confirmed the photos.

An exchange of rocket and gunfire ensued. Israeli troops were supported by tanks, one of which was targeted by an RPG, which missed. The Lebanese RPG team was then fired on and possibly hit. Israeli artillery shelled Lebanese positions, and a helicopter gunship attacked a command center, destroying several vehicles. Lebanese witnesses said Israel also shelled the village of Adaisseh. Israeli shelling struck near a Lebanese military vehicle, setting it on fire and killing three soldiers inside the vehicle. A total of three Lebanese soldiers, one Israeli officer, and a journalist from Lebanon's Al-Akhbar, were killed in the clashes. The Israeli officer was identified as Lieutenant Colonel Dov Harari, while the Al Akhbar journalist was named Assaf Abou Rahhal. The names of the three Lebanese soldiers killed are not yet known.

Reactions

• Lebanon – President Michel Suleiman vowed to "stand up to Israel's violation of Resolution 1701, whatever the price". He denounced the clash including the "bombing of a Lebanese army checkpoint and attacks on Lebanese property" and called for both countries to respect the Blue Line. Prime Minister Saad Hariri called the attack a "violation of Lebanese sovereignty and demands." He called for "the United Nations and the international community bear their responsibilities and pressure Israel to stop its aggression." Speaker Nabih Berri called on the government to "urgently file a complaint to the Security Council over the violation of Resolution 1701." Minister of Social Affairs Selim el-Sayegh of the Phalange party said "The history of the Lebanese army's actions have been defensive ... it is in no position whatsoever to conduct any attack against Israel. It wants only to defend Lebanese territory ... Israel has been doing these activities as a matter of provocation.
  • File:Flag of Hezbollah.svg Hezbollah - After the clash, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, speaking to a crowd of tens of thousands of supports via video link, declared that in the future his group would not “stand silent” in any future attacks against the LAF and that “The Israeli hand that targets the Lebanese army will be cut off.” Nasrallah, however, said that he did not believe the skirmish would lead to a greater conflict: “I don't expect a war to happen soon ... but there are reasons for worry.” Al-Manar, the Hezbollah-owned satellite television station, issued an editorial saying "The Israeli enemy, believed to be violating the international resolution 1701 in a daily basis, can provoke clashes with the Lebanese Army, fire rockets at Lebanese posts, cause martyrdom of Lebanese soldiers and journalists. Even more, they have the right to uproot a tree on the Lebanese side without facing any resistance. But the Lebanese have no right to defend themselves. They have no right to complain. They can't ask for an international firm stance. They must accept the status-quo and quietly mourn their martyrs."
• Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he held the Lebanese government "directly accountable for this violent provocation against Israel." Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned the Lebanese government against "continuing to provoke IDF forces." He added that Israel would not tolerate any attacks on soldiers or citizens "within its sovereign territory" and also called on the international community to condemn the "criminal act carried out by the Lebanese army." The Foreign Ministry labeled the incident a "severe violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701" and only "one of many violations of Resolution 1701, the most severe of which is the massive rearmament of Hizbullah, including the rearmament of Hizbullah units in southern Lebanon." It declared, "Israel holds the Lebanese government responsible for the grave incident, and warns of the consequences should these continue." Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman "instructed the Israeli diplomatic delegation to the United Nations to file a protest with the UN Secretary General and the Security Council." Major General Gadi Eisenkot said "It was a planned ambush by a sniper unit ... this was a provocation by the Lebanese army. We view this fire was a highly grave incident. Our forces responded at once, and immediately after that we resorted to artillery and gunship fire." Israel also filed a complaint with the United Nations claiming Lebanese soldiers opened fire despite the IDF having informed UNIFIL forces in advance of its plan to cut down a tree along the border fence.
  • Israeli sources also claimed UNIFIL forces said the Lebanese soldiers had no reason to open fire as the Israeli army was conducting routine activity.
  • The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange turned from a strong opening to tumbling in the end into negative territory following the clash.

• UNIFIL – Spokesman Neeraj Singh confirmed the firefight and urged both sides to use "maximum restraint." He added that "UNIFIL peacekeepers are in the area and are trying to ascertain the circumstances of the incident and any possible casualties. Our immediate priority at this time is to restore calm in the area."

• Egypt – Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned Israel over the incident saying it violated both Lebanon's sovereignty and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 that was the basis for the 2006 ceasefire.
• Syria – President Bashar al-Assad called his Lebanese counterpart to express "Syria's support for Lebanon against the heinous aggression launched by Israel on Lebanon ... this aggression proves once more that Israel has always been seeking to destabilize security and stability in Lebanon and the region."

In addition to international reactions the global media were also quick to point out this was a dramatic shift in already heated tensions: The Guardian said this was the "most serious clashes along Israel-Lebanon border since the 2006 war;" the Los Angeles Times said "The deaths are the first since the end of the 2006 Lebanon War;" Sky News said this was "the most serious escalation of violence since the 2006 war;" The New York Times called this "the fiercest clash in the area since Israel's month long war against the Lebanese Hezbollah militia in the summer of 2006;" Reuters in Canada called it "a rare cross-border skirmish;" The Sydney Morning Herald asserted prominence for the attack because "The UN Security Council has gone into closed-door consultations;" Time asked "Is the Middle East on the Brink of a New Regional War?" while Al Jazeera's Rula Amin said "This is a very significant development. For the first time in years, clashes are taking place between Israel and the Lebanese army, not Hezbollah."